Staff
Executive Officers
Rebecca Turner, MS Chief Executive Officer
rturner@thecollectiveforhope.org
Prior to joining The Collective for Hope team in May 2013, Rebecca provided economic development leadership in multiple rural Iowa and Nebraska communities. Her earliest non-profit employment included fundraising and program work for the Iowa Women’s Foundation. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Grinnell College and a master’s degree from St. Ambrose University. She was drawn to serve The Collective for Hope through personal connection to the mission and serves on the membership & education committee of the National Alliance for Grieving Children. Rebecca is a proud graduate of the Non-profit Executive Institute, the Omaha Community Foundation’s Capacity Building program, and TE2AM: Building Culture. She brings passions for organizational leadership, philanthropy, innovation, and collaboration.
Finance / Operations
Anica Marcum, Operations Coordinator
amarcum@thecollectiveforhope.org
The Collective for Hope has had a special place in Anica’s heart since 2009, when she was part of Ted E. Bear Hollow’s first Young Adults Group (YAG). From the moment she first started receiving services, she looked for opportunities to volunteer and join the staff. Often referred to as the agency’s glue, Anica’s rich background in customer service and financial processing has been a gift to the agency. She now coordinates a majority of the organization’s routine operations, including support services for the partner-tenants joining The Collective for Hope on its new campus.
Stephanie Lewis, Special Projects Assistant/Reception
slewis@thecollectiveforhope.org
Stephanie’s background is in medical reception and community health education. She is a co-founder of Disabled Women Support Group Luncheons, and the founder of a disability education group, Judged by the Cover. For six years Stephanie was a member of the Nebraska Statewide Independent Living Council. Passionate about giving back, Stephanie has donated her time to several nonprofits including the Arthritis Foundation, Multiple Sclerosis Society, and Girls, Inc. In addition to providing reception and special project support, she is instrumental in providing the agency’s Caregivers and Serious Illness/Injury programs.
Philanthropy & Marketing
Kelly Morris, CFM Director of Philanthropy & Marketing
kmorris@thecollectiveforhope.org
Kelly has been a member of The Collective for Hope community for nearly 15 years, her involvement spanning support group participation and many volunteer positions. Before she joined the agency’s staff in 2017, the majority of Kelly’s career had been in outside sales, marketing, and sales team management, but, at The Collective for Hope, she found a passion and exceptional talent for non-profit philanthropy. Kelly has earned several fundraising and marketing certificates over the past few years, thus elevating the agency’s visibility and fundraising success. She is ecstatic when her efforts help shine a light in the darkness.
Philanthropy & Marketing Contractor
Jackie Lorenson, Marketing and Events Coordinator
marketingandevents@thecollectiveforhope.org
Programs
Sandy Lemen, Program Manager
slemen@thecollectiveforhope.org
Sandy Lemen joined The Collective for Hope after more than a decade in customer service and project management at The Knot and The Bump. She is also the proud artist/owner of a small business that produces bereavement jewelry and gifts. Her volunteerism, prior to joining The Collective for Hope’s team included work at a variety of hospice agencies. Sandy has a big heart and a great talent for supporting the staff, contractors, and volunteers in her charge. You’ll find her managing the majority of the agency’s program contractors and volunteers, when she’s not curating/developing the agency’s Gifts of Hope.
Program Contractors
Valerie Height, LCSW, LMHP, Caregivers and Serious Illness/Injury Support Group Coordinator On-call Mental Health Consultation
caregivers@thecollectiveforhope.org
Katie Higgins and Kristin Chandler, MS Monthly Support Groups and Family Days Coordinators
monthly@thecollectiveforhope.org
Nikki West, CSW, Spanish Language Support Services and Immigration Loss Support Group Coordinator
enespanol@thecollectiveforhope.org
Tanya Shute-Kadey, Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support Group Coordinator
Outreach, Education, and Inclusion
Alex Jurgens, MSOL Senior Education & Inclusion Coordinator
ajurgens@thecollectiveforhope.org
Alex has a deep history in and commitment to serving non-profits. His passion for inclusion work and his personal experience with losing a loved one connected him not only to The Collective for Hope’s mission but to the agency’s vision and values as well. Alex received his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and his Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from College of Saint Mary’s. Alex is a firm believer in the power of human connection and how it helps people overcome difficult life circumstances. He is inspired by The Collective for Hope’s trajectory and the opportunity to connect organizations and schools throughout the region with quality grief and survivorship support and education. Ask Alex to provide a workshop for your team!
Breanna Thompson, Education & Evaluation Coordinator
bthompson@thecollectiveforhope.org
Having experienced significant loss, Bre is honored to be a part of the remarkable impact The Collective for Hope provides for bereaved families and individuals. Her educational background includes a BS in Psychology and Neuroscience with a minor in Anthropology, and she will soon be completing her master’s in Sociology at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. The agency’s beloved academic, you’ll find her recruiting speakers, developing educational presentations, and refining the agency’s evaluation tools. Bre coordinates the agency’s facilitator training, CEU workshops, and annual professional conference; please contact her if you’re interested in learning or presenting.